Influenza, Hepatitis B and Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates and Factors Influencing Vaccination Status in Patients with Diabetes

Objective: Diabetes Mellitus is a health problem that has increasingly become a worldwide concern due to its high frequency and complications. Infections in patients with diabetes is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study is to determine the rates of vaccination with influenza, pneumococcal, hepatitis B vaccine in diabetic patients, their awareness of the importance and necessity of vaccination, and how they reach on those awareness levels. Materials and Methods: This study was design as a questionnaire based observational study. 504 patients aged 18 years and older who were admitted to Family Medicine and Diabetes Outpatient clinics, completed a questionnaire comprised of 15 questions regarding their socio-demographic profile, their awareness of higher risks of Influenza, Hepatitis B, Streptococcus infections in patients with diabetes, their knowledge about vaccinations for those infections, factors that encourage them to get vaccinated, other ways to protect themselves against vaccine-preventable diseases. Results: Of the patients who participated in the study, 76.4% were unvaccinated. The proportion of patients vaccinated against Influenza, Hepatitis B, Pneumococcal, Pneumococcal+Influenza and Hepatitis B+Influenza were 10.1%, 6.9%, 5%, 1% and 0.6%, respectively. 22% of patients had knowledge of governmental support for the vaccination of patients with Diabetes. Conclusions: As a result; it is seen that both patients and health care providers have a lack of awareness of vaccination. We reach the conclusion that those vaccination rates may increase with the cooperation between the Ministry of Health and the physicians by actively using visual, printed and social media and by broadcasting of public service announcements.